Glamour's 25th annual Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall in NYC on Thursday night recognized women's influence and achievements in fashion, politics, business, and more, and with Amy Schumer opening the award ceremony [1], you know it had to be good! Aside from the gorgeous gowns on the red carpet, a prominent theme prevailed — 2015 was the year of the strong, powerful, confident athlete. Check out the highlights.
Misty Copeland: The Showstopper
She became the first black ballerina to be promoted to principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre and definitely deserves to be honored as a woman of the year [2]. She said, "Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you."
Team USA: Game Changers
Go team USA! They didn't just win the Women's World Cup — they dominated it. Glamour awarded these world-champion athletes for their strong voices in bringing awareness to women's equality.
Caitlyn Jenner: The Transgender Champion
This Olympic hero was recognized as a female trailblazer [3] due to her bravery in revealing her true identity last June. After Laverne Cox, she's the second transgender female to receive this award.
Serena Williams
Though not awarded this year (she was awarded back in 2009), the 34-year-old 21-time Grand Slam winner showed off her strong, fierce, athletic figure and took the stage to offer some advice [4] to the young women in the audience: "The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you're very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble."
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King, a former WOTY and world champion tennis player who won 39 Grand Slam titles and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1987, also had some advice to pass on [5]. Standing on stage next to Serena Williams, she said, "Don't let anyone define you; you define yourself. Lift up, learn, lean in, and be inclusive."